Event Title

Presenter Information

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Location

Indianapolis, IN

Subject Area

Psychology

Start Date

11-4-2014 1:00 PM

End Date

11-4-2014 2:15 PM

Sponsor

Tara Lineweaver (Butler University)

Description

Past studies have only inconsistently documented relationships between subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and objective performance on neuropsychological tests. Subjective language complaints (SLCs) have not been investigated in great detail, especially in the young adult population, perhaps because no formal SLC questionnaire exists in the literature. We developed a questionnaire to assess SLCs and then examined how both language and memory complaints relate to objective memory and language skills in healthy young adults.

Forty undergraduate students completed two questionnaires assessing their subjective memory and language abilities and a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests evaluating auditory memory, visual memory, language skills, visual-spatial processing speed, and mood. The reliability of the newly-created Subjective Language Complaints Questionnaire (SLCQ) surpassed that of the standardized memory questionnaire. None of the questionnaire subscales correlated significantly with depression or processing speed. Not surprisingly, participants who described themselves as having more memory problems, performed more poorly on an immediate auditory memory test. Unexpectedly, however, participants who described themselves as having better memory abilities actually performed more poorly on a delayed visual memory test. Self-reported memory did not relate to objective language abilities. Several measures from the SLCQ significantly predicted performance on a test of naming ability. Self-rated language skills also shared a positive relationship with verbal fluency, as well as immediate and delayed auditory memory, but not visual memory.

Together, these results indicate that SLCs can be reliably and validly assessed. Additionally, young adults appear able to accurately differentiate memory skills from language skills when judging their cognitive abilities.

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Apr 11th, 1:00 PMApr 11th, 2:15 PM

I’ll Only Say This Once—Will You Remember? Young Adults’ Self-Reported Language and Memory Abilities

Indianapolis, IN

Past studies have only inconsistently documented relationships between subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and objective performance on neuropsychological tests. Subjective language complaints (SLCs) have not been investigated in great detail, especially in the young adult population, perhaps because no formal SLC questionnaire exists in the literature. We developed a questionnaire to assess SLCs and then examined how both language and memory complaints relate to objective memory and language skills in healthy young adults.

Forty undergraduate students completed two questionnaires assessing their subjective memory and language abilities and a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests evaluating auditory memory, visual memory, language skills, visual-spatial processing speed, and mood. The reliability of the newly-created Subjective Language Complaints Questionnaire (SLCQ) surpassed that of the standardized memory questionnaire. None of the questionnaire subscales correlated significantly with depression or processing speed. Not surprisingly, participants who described themselves as having more memory problems, performed more poorly on an immediate auditory memory test. Unexpectedly, however, participants who described themselves as having better memory abilities actually performed more poorly on a delayed visual memory test. Self-reported memory did not relate to objective language abilities. Several measures from the SLCQ significantly predicted performance on a test of naming ability. Self-rated language skills also shared a positive relationship with verbal fluency, as well as immediate and delayed auditory memory, but not visual memory.

Together, these results indicate that SLCs can be reliably and validly assessed. Additionally, young adults appear able to accurately differentiate memory skills from language skills when judging their cognitive abilities.